The Jitters
by Ellrohan
Summary: Team 7 fluff promised to a friend, ages ago. Sasuke gets a bit of a scare, but Naruto and Sakura are there. Rated K because of Naruto's immature humour.


Sakura was cold and uncomfortable, various disturbingly well-tie ropes holding her in place and chafing wherever it touched. Not for the first time, she cursed Kakashi-sensei, who had decided that the best way to ensnare a pervert was by using live bait. Live, naked, already-trussed up, female bait to be exact. Only it hadn't gone according to plan and she was now cold, uncomfortable, live, naked, already-trussed up, female, locked in a cellar, bait.

By the time the cavalry arrived, she was even colder and going numb, but the sight of Naruto's lecherously grinning face produced a blush of epic proportions, warming her quite effectively. Sasuke had poked his head around the door, caught sight of her in all her glory, went as red as she was and tried to escape. Naruto, bastard that he was, booted him downstairs and bounced down as well. Sasuke tried to hide his embarrassment by punching Naruto and busied himself untying Sakura without looking at her too closely.

"Ne, ne Sakura-chaaaaan! You really ARE a natu-"

"Don't say it. Usuratonkachi."

"Nyheee!"

Naruto came to help untie her, copping a feel at the same time and Sakura headbutted him in retaliation before squeaking in surprise when Sasuke's white yukata enveloped her. He patted her shoulders, slicing the rope keeping her hands together and helping her shrug into the garment. She could feel his fingertips linger on her now-clothed shoulders, pressing gently as if to reassure himself she was really there. She smiled at him,

"Thank you Sasuke-kun. Some of us haven't the manners we were born with!"

Naruto, busily freeing her ankles, stuck his tongue out playfully,

"You looked nice like that Sakura-chan." He tickled her foot playfully and ducked out of the way when she kicked at him, pouting in mock distress. Sasuke hoiked her to her feet and as she muttered grouchily at Naruto, he belted his yukata more firmly around her waist. Naruto gave her an affectionate squeeze,

"I'm really glad you're ok, Sakura-chan. Next time maybe we shouldn't tie you so tight!"

"There will be no next time Naruto, you hear?" She glared and he grinned.

"Come on," Sasuke grunted from the door, "Let's go."

Once it got too dark to see, Naruto fell over on purpose declaring that he was hungry and watched in resigned amusement as Sasuke stomped past him, half-vanishing into the gloom. Glancing over at Sakura he pointed at Sasuke, grinned and went to fiddle with the fire.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura enquired, peering towards his silhouette. "Aren't you cold?" He shifted slightly but made no reply. "Sasuke-kun?" She echoed his earlier touch to her shoulders and pressed gently, feeling the tension knotted there. He flinched and she sighed. "Sorry, my fingers must be cold." She turned to go and warm up by the fire when his fingers tangled in hers,

"I'm sorry Sakura. I messed up." He retracted his fingers and glared at them. Sakura sighed internally; she'd known this was brewing.

"Sasuke-kun, it wasn't your fault, you know that. Blame sensei, it was all his idea."

"Yeah," Naruto chipped in, cheerfully balancing three plates, "All his fault! Sakura's ok, she's a natu-"

"Finish that Naruto, I dare you," Sakura snarled from her perch on Naruto's head. Sasuke wandered closer and rescued their dinner from the fire. With a final warning tug on Naruto's yellow hair, Sakura relinquished her seat on Naruto's head and settled down next to Sasuke, graciously accepting her plate. Noticing that Sasuke was still brooding and listlessly picking at his food, she sighed and put both their plates a safe distance away before pulling him into a hug. He clutched at her convulsively and didn't even complain when Naruto joined the hug from behind, effectively sandwiching Sasuke between them.

"We're here now, Sasuke-kun, and we're not going anywhere."

"Yeah," Naruto affirmed, voice slightly muffled by Sasuke's shoulder, "and neither are you, you bastard. We've got you." Sasuke buried his face further into Sakura's shoulder and hesitantly laced his chokuto-calloused fingers through Naruto's,

"D'aaaaaaaaaw," Naruto chuckled, watching Sakura gently stroke Sasuke's hair, "I suppose this means you love us too!" His fingers creaked warningly and Sakura's free hand grabbed his nose as Sasuke hurriedly wriggled free.

"Dinner's getting cold," he muttered, self-consciously turning away.

"Naruto doesn't get any!" Sakura screeched, chilly again.

"Sakura-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

"Hm. Idiot."

"Shut up!" Naruto rolled around in despair, "I'm staaaaaaaaaaaaaaarving!" Sasuke nudged him dispassionately with his foot,

"You'll set yourself on fire, you great orange moron."

"What did you-"

Sakura tuned the rest out, smiling fondly at her boys, both now rolling dangerously near the fire. Idiots, the both of them, but she loved them all the same.


End file.
